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referent
UK
/ˈrɛfərənt/
US
/ˈrɛfərənt/
Translations
referents
pl
UK
/ˈrɛfərənt/
US
/ˈrɛfərənt/
In linguistics, a referent is the actual object or concept that a word refers to.
В лингвистике обозначаемое - это реальный объект или концепция, к которым относится слово.
Additional translations
more referent
Comp.
most referent
Super.
UK
/ˈrɛf.ər.ənt/
US
/ˈrɛf.ɚ.ənt/
Occasionally used as an adjective meaning ‘referring’ or ‘denoting’; should be recorded.
Definitions
In the sentence 'The cat sat on the mat,' the referent of 'cat' is the actual animal being referred to.
In the context of a conversation, the referent of 'he' might change depending on who is being discussed.
Referent expressions must be clearly linked to the entities they denote.